What's New for 1991
Featuring an underpowered 1.9-liter engine and uninspired ergonomics, first Saturn sedan isn't all it's cracked up to be. The SL is very basic, with manual steering and transmission. Variable-effort steering, adjustable steering column, tachometer, and remote fuel door and trunk lid releases are standard on SL1. SL2 adds more powerful engine, sport-tuned suspension, alloy wheels, body-color bumpers, and speed-rated tires. All body panels except hood, roof and trunk lid are made of plastic composite materials on all models, and ABS is optional.

What's New for 1992
New engine and transmission mounting system supposedly cuts down on noise and vibration. Passenger compartment gets added acoustic insulation. Leather and a rear deck spoiler are new for SL2 models. Alloy wheels are redesigned.

What's New for 1994
CFC-free refrigerant is added to air conditioning system. Automatic transmission's Performance mode is recalibrated to give smoother shifts. New central unlocking feature on power door locks allows all doors to be unlocked with a twist of the key. New alloy wheels are optional on SC1.

What's New for 1995
Dashboard is redesigned and now contains two airbags. Base engine is rated at 100 horsepower, up 15 from last year. With the automatic transmission, traction control is included with optional ABS. Styling is cleaned up front and rear. Manual three-point front seatbelts replace automatic type.

What's New for 1996
New bodywork and interior improvements make the SL an excellent value in the compact sedan class. SL's meet 1997 side-impact standards for the first time. A five-speed and traction control are no longer mutually exclusive items. The back seat is actually livable this year. Daytime running lights are standard, and rain water won't leak all over your stuff anymore when you open the trunk.

What's New for 1997 - SC
Saturn restyles its sport coupe, moving it to the SL/SW platform in the process. The result is a larger, roomier and heavier car. Dashboard is carried over, but interior trim is new. Newly optional is an in-dash CD player. More steps are taken to reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
Pros
Larger interior, larger trunk, optional traction control, optional ABS, composite dent- and rust-resistant side body panels
Cons
Heavier, uglier

What's New for 1998 - SC
Refinement is the name of the game for 1998. Improvements to the suspension, transmission and engine blocks are designed to smooth the ride, reduce noise, increase durability and provide slick shifts. Second-generation airbags deploy with less force than the old ones. A child seatbelt comfort guide has been added in the back seat, and SC1 models have a new wheel design. Dark Blue is the single new color.
Pros
Optional traction control. Optional ABS. Composite dent- and rust-resistant side body panels.
Cons
Questionable styling. Ultra-cheap interior materials.

What's New for 1999 - SC
Saturn continues on its refinement theme for 1999. Refined powertrain performance, interior upgrades and new wheel selections top the list of changes for SC1 and SC2 models. New later this year on all coupes is a standard driver's-side third door to improve access to the rear seats. Improvements to both the single- and dual-overhead cam engines (including new pistons, connecting rods and crankshafts) are designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness while improving fuel economy about one mpg across the board. The SC2 gets redesigned standard wheel covers and new optional 15-inch aluminum wheels. Interior cloth fabrics have been revised, the capacity of the windshield washer solvent bottle has been increased to one gallon, and there's a new Green exterior paint. In a move backward, all Coupes will revert to rear drum brakes, replacing the once-available rear discs on SC2 with ABS.
Pros
Composite dent- and rust-resistant side body panels, standard third door, optional ABS, optional traction control.
Cons
Questionable styling, ultra-cheap interior materials, weak standard equipment list.

What's New for 1999 - SL
Powertrain components in both the single- and dual-overhead cam engines (such as pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft and timing chain) have been revised to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, while returning an increase of about one mpg across the board. Three new exterior colors debut: Dark Blue on SL, Green and Blackberry on SL1 and SL2. Front seatbelts have been repositioned, and the windshield washer solvent bottle's capacity has been upped to one full gallon. Sadly, Saturn has moved to rear drum brakes on all models, replacing the rear discs that had been available on SL2s with ABS.
Pros
Dealer body, dentless plastic body panels, optional traction control and ABS.
Cons
Low seating position with flimsy cushions, cheap interior materials.

What's New for 1999 - SW
As with the rest of the 1999 Saturn line, SW models are sure to benefit from revised powertrain components in both the single- and dual-overhead cam engines. The pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft and timing chain in these motors have been redesigned to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, while returning an increase of about one mpg across the board. Wagons have a new Green exterior color. The only other changes are repositioned front seatbelts for easier access and increased windshield washer solvent bottle capacity, which is now one full gallon.
Pros
Dealer service, dentless plastic body panels, optional traction control and ABS.
Cons
Poor seating position and comfort, flimsy interior materials.

REWARD EXCELLENCE!

Rate the quality of this post and help radioouman reputation points. Click the reputation button near the bottom left corner of this message box. Thank you!

I know some of the options for the SL1 weren't available on the SL, like the sunroof. Between those two and the SL2, the engine is different, the gear ratios are different, the suspension is squishier, it's all geared more towards the "economy" side of things.

REWARD EXCELLENCE!

Rate the quality of this post and help blackandwhite reputation points. Click the reputation button near the bottom left corner of this message box. Thank you!

Originally posted by radioouman What's New for 1991
Featuring an underpowered 1.9-liter engine and uninspired ergonomics, first Saturn sedan isn't all it's cracked up to be. The SL is very basic, with manual steering and ...

I wish my car had an automatic steering system. That'd get me an extra 30 minutes of sleep on my way to work!

And who says my car has questionable styling?? I think the 97-00 SCs are the coolest of the bunch!

REWARD EXCELLENCE!

Rate the quality of this post and help lexington01 reputation points. Click the reputation button near the bottom left corner of this message box. Thank you!

Originally posted by OhioVueBoy
First off, the SL has all of the trunk releases and crap too, and the SL1 does not have varialbe effort power steering, only the "2" cars have that. Where did you cut and paste that from?
~D.J.~

About the variable effort power steering, the SOHC models came standard with this steering system from 91-94 (except for the SL, where it was optional). The '95 model year brought the basic power steering to the SOHC models that continues through to the '02 model year. The '01 model year brought standard power steering to the SL.

Now, in the early '92 model year there was a shortage of the manual steering gear so Saturn added the variable effort power steering gear at no charge until the shortage was over. I know this because my first new car, a 1992 blue Saturn SL, had this free feature.

...Beautiful People First~

REWARD EXCELLENCE!

Rate the quality of this post and help Galileo reputation points. Click the reputation button near the bottom left corner of this message box. Thank you!

I got that from edmunds.com.... they have an Overview for each for each model. THe overviews before the internet was big (95 or 96 and earlier) were the same for each line.. SC SL and SW... But then they changed to different overviews for each one.

REWARD EXCELLENCE!

Rate the quality of this post and help radioouman reputation points. Click the reputation button near the bottom left corner of this message box. Thank you!

Originally posted by Nuke-Em SL/SL1/SC1/SW1's had 14 inch wheels/tires while SL2/SC2/SW2 had 15's.

SL/SL1/SC1/SW1's have a 110 MPH speedometer while SL2/SC2/SW2 have 130 MPH speedometers

Tachometer's are also different (obviously)

SL/SL1/SC1/SW1's had different upholstery designs

SL/SL1/SC1/SW1's had non-adjustable headrests

Since SL's don't have a foglight option, the openings in the bumper are non-existant

SL/SL1/SC1/SW1's have grey door handles

SL's had right-side mirrors as dealer installed accessories

That's all I can think of for now...

Matt

Early SLs and SL1s and SC1s had adjustable headrests too, they just weren't the articulating (tilting) design like the "2" cars had. The SL also had the same front black fascia as the SL1.. with foglight cutouts.
~D.J.~